CHELTENHAM TAXI DRIVERS TOLD THEIR CARS HAVE TO BE SILVER

Taxi drivers have to make their cars silver and wheelchair-accessible by December 2021 in Cheltenham.

The controversial policy was rubber-stumped last night at a borough council meeting after a series of "challenging" meetings between the authority and drivers, who argued it would be too costly to change vehicles within three years.

Taxi drivers have been up in arms because of the cost of changing vehicles by 2021 when the shake-up was announced earlier this year.

The regulations were first reported in March, when dozens of taxis protested by circling the Municipal Offices in the Promenade.

After the four meetings between officers and the local taxi association, the council backed down and agreed drivers won't have to make the change until their vehicle needs to be replaced.

Council leader Steve Jordan said it was a "long and torturous process" in a cabinet meeting last night.